Yishai: Add More Sephardic Judges to Courts

Interior Minister Eli Yishai said Sunday that the state had a “moral obligation” to appoint a judge of Middle Eastern Sephardic background to the High Court. Currently, there is one judge of Middle Eastern background on the court, and it has generally been understood that one seat is “reserved” for a judge of that background. But with population and other changes in the state, the time had come to add a second judge to the makeup of the High Court.

“Unfortunately when I bring this subject up I am accused of increasing ethnic tensions, but when others talk about these issues for other groups, that is acceptable and they are not attacked,” Yishai said. “This is needed in order to ensure that the public retains its trust in the court system. More such judges should be added to lower courts as well. It is time to being about more equality in this area,” he added.